CHESHIRE'S dairy farmers are aiming to cut out the middle man in their trade with supermarkets.

Against the backdrop of falling milk prices, increasing numbers of milk producers in the county are getting involved in Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFB), a collective of farmers that process and market their own produce direct to the supermarkets.

Of the organisation's 3,000-strong membership, 185 are based in Cheshire. They formed in 2002 and in August 2004 made a £75m purchase of the ailing dairy processor Associated Co-operative Creameries (ACC).

DFB markets nearly 40 million litres of raw milk and sells milk on the doorstep to more than 750,000 households across England and Wales.

David Johnson, from Tarporley, joined Dairy Farmers of Britain at its outset and thinks it's the best way to preserve farms like that of his parents, based in Lower Whitley, Frodsham.

He said: 'We have taken the view that we need to do something so we have decided to pool our resources.'

Dairy Farmers of Britain have modelled themselves on similar farmers' collectives in Europe which have existed for nearly a century and Mr Johnson added: 'It's great to be able to follow a model that is proven to work and to feel empowered by that.

'The supermarkets have been very receptive to us partly, I think, because their customers are asking them for local produce.'

DFB regional business manager Paul Fox said: 'I believe that farm-er-owned co-operatives are the way forward for farmers to get their fair share of the profit margin from the food chain,' he said.

'DFB's 3,000 members have bought the biggest food business in the history of UK farming and we are well on our way to achieving our goals.'